Episode 9 - Guest Stars Robert Goulet and Joel Grey

From the author's 1972 collection

The 9^th episode of The Julie Andrews Hour brought Broadway to the small screen with guest stars Robert Goulet and Joel Grey. From the moment the show begins, the audience is a roller coaster of great entertainment. These three performers know what it’s all about and they give a “socko” performance.

The show opens with Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet and Joel Grey seated before their dressing room mirrors, singing “Four Minutes Before We Open.” Julie and Joel Grey, who are still dressed in their bathrobes, begin to practice their dance steps, while Robert Goulet waits in impatiently for the arrival of his pants. He is  dressed only in a shirt, bow tie, tails, socks and shorts. 

After the opening number and some joking around, the show moves forward with the weekly segment, Look to the Stars. Tonight’s astrological sign is Cancer or “Moon children.” Paying tribute to Ringo Starr, Julie, "Bobby" and Joel sing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Each one plays a musical instrument; Julie has a big marching band drum strapped on, Joel plays the noisy cymbals and Robert, a triangle. The stars' playing of these instruments makes for some humorous moments.

The first solo of the evening is performed by Joel Grey.  Grey was born Joel Katz on April 11^th, 1932 in Cleveland, Ohio. His father, Mickey Katz, was an actor, comedian and musician. Joel began performing as a child at the Cleveland Playhouse. He attended high school in Los Angeles and, eventually, ended up in New York where, by the 1960s, he appeared in one major Broadway musical after another: Come Blow Your Horn (1961), Stop the World – I Want to Get Off (1962), Half a Sixpence (1965) and the musical Cabaret (1966) for which he created the role of the Master of Ceremonies and won the Tony Award.

In 1968, Grey appeared in George M!, a musical about the life of showman, George M. Cohan. The show was a smash hit. On The Julie Andrews Hour, he performs a modernized version of George M’s “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” The music rocks, and the dance style is classic and hip. Grey is fantastic here, singing, while he dances across the stage with incredible speed.

It should also be noted that 1972 was the year the film “Cabaret” was released. Prior to this time, Grey was known to primarily to Broadway audiences. In 1972, however, he became a household name, and was praised internationally for his work. Six months after his appearance on The Julie Andrews Hour, he would receive the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as the MC in Cabaret.

At the conclusion of Joel Grey's number, Julie and Robert Goulet pay tribute to Rodgers and Hammerstein with the song, “We Kiss in the Shadow” from the musical, The King and I. The song was given a special arrangement for the show, with new harmony for the two singers. It is passionate and beautiful.

Following the musical numbers, Alice Ghostley portrays the characteristics of Moon Children in two comic scenes. In the first scene, she appears with both male guest stars, showing how Moon Children like to agree with others. In the second scene, she and Joel Grey play a married couple. The writers went to town on this scene. It is wild and wacky. In the scene, Joel and Alice play a married couple, having an argument after a party. Joel's character is drunk and wearing a lampshade on his head. It’s a crazy, funny scene, performed brilliantly by these two actors.

Choreographer and director of Cabaret, Bob Fosse, another Moon Child, is paid tribute to next. In an amazing segment, brilliantly filmed in dim light before a mirror, we watch Joel Grey mime putting on his makeup for the role of the MC in Cabaret. Having completed this action, he turns to the camera and smiles, and in that moment we see this brilliant actor go from Joel Grey the man to the character. It is stunning. Joel then performs “Wilkommen,” followed by Julie singing “Maybe This Time,” a fine performance that makes one realize Sally Bowles was a role she could have played. 

Robert Goulet enters, seats himself backwards on a chair and begins to sing “Cabaret” in a way that is riveting. Julie and Joel join in. The two men are seated, while Julie remains standing. The eight Tony Charmoli dancers enter carrying chairs and dance behind them.

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The first half of the show is broken by a huge dance number with Julie Andrews and the eight Tony Charmoli Dancers. Although no notations on this have been found, it appears that this dance is patriotic and may have been inspired by the musical 1776 which appeared on Broadway in 1969 and closed in February of 1972. That same year the film was released.

In this musical number, Julie and the male dancers are all dressed in off white tights and high collared jackets with gold braid. The dance is quite long and intricate, with leaps, high kicks and formation. At one point, we see Julie and the dancers on the apron of the stay with a view of the audience. This is the dance written of previously, that Julie rehearsed and shot for three hours with the audience present. The huge applause at the end, no doubt marks the audience's happiness that they finally got it right. 

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The second half of Episode 9 is dedicated to the songwriting team Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Lowe. With Robert Goulet and Joel Grey  working on the show, it was the perfect opportunity for Julie Andrews to celebrate these great songwriters. The trio open this segment riding onto the stage in an wagon pulled by a big horse. They are singing songs from Paint Your Wagon. The stage is set with a wide horizon of blue sky which darkens as Julie sings her lovely solo, “I Talk to the Trees.”

The wonderful Lerner and Loew musical, “Gigi” is next with Joel Grey serving champagne to Julie, who is dressed in a lovely red gown. The pair sing “The Night They Invented Champagne,” and then, with chorus, dance a lively Can-Can. It's great fun. The hauntingly beautiful title song, "Gigi" is then sung tenderly by Robert Goulet.

Songs from "Brigadoon” are performed brilliantly Julie sings, “Almost Like Being in Love,” followed by other songs, including one where she and Joel Grey dance wonderful Highland fling.

Watching these great scenes, one marvels that the creators of The Julie Andrews Hour were able to put this show together in a week. But even more than that, one wonders how Julie, Joel and Robert were able to learn all these songs and dances and perform them so wonderfully with only a few days of rehearsal. The quality of the work tells us how amazing these performers really were.

Of course, the celebration of Lerner and Lowe gives Julie Andrews and Robert Goulet the opportunity to recreate a few moments from the musical Camelot in which they appeared together on Broadway. For this episode, they have chosen “What Do the Simple Folk Do.” It is a charming number, but, perhaps, what is most special is that for a few moments we feel as if we have time traveled back to Broadway fifty years ago. That is a treasure.

My Fair Lady arrives at the conclusion of this grand tribute, and any chance to see Julie Andrews recreate something from the show which made her a star is not to be missed. Here she sings “Show Me” with her eight dancers, and at one point, literally knocks them over. Whenever she performs these Broadway numbers she takes on an incredible energy, one that is magnetic, showing us how amazing she must have been on the Broadway stage.

At the end, the three stars sing “With a Little Bit of Luck.” Julie puts on her cockney, and, and at one point, playfully winks at the camera. In the end, all three performers are laughing and falling over one another. Seeing the energy and character of these three great Broadway stars is a joy, an inspiration and, for any aspiring actor or musical performer, a lesson not to be missed.

As Julie Andrews sings the final notes of her song, “Time Is My Friend,” it seems for a moment her voice trembles with emotion. It must have been a grand week for her, and, for us, it has been a grand night.

Julie and Harry Belafonte PART 2

This content has been removed.

Julie and Harry in 1969

All photos are posted for entertainment purposes only.

Coming Next: Episode 8 with Guests: Robert Goulet and Joel Grey!

In the Studio with Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte

Please note: This blog has been edited down toward the release of a new book on The Julie Andrews Hour.

The day of my return to The Julie Andrews Hour had arrived at last! I took my classes in the morning and, then, hopped on a bus to the ABC Studios on Prospect Avenue. 

I had the letter I'd received from Julie's secretary in my purse (just in case)but seeing that the guard was busy, I walked through the gate and up the slight incline to the studio. As predicted, the “Do Not Enter” sign was sitting on a stand in front of the door. I opened the door and walked in.

It was dark inside, except for the stage. The seats in the back had a low light over them, but sitting there might look as if I had snuck in and didn’t belong. There were a few people sitting down front, so I made my way quietly down the aisle and sat in the center, a few rows back from the stage.

Julie was onstage in her dressing gown. She was rehearsing with Harry Belafonte. Of course, I recognized him right away. My mother often spoke of him. Beginning in the 1950s, Belafonte made a name for himself singing folk songs, particularly those with a calypso beat. Recordings like “All Day, All Night, Mary Ann” and “Matilda” had made him a household name. Unbeknownst to me, three years earlier, Julie and Harry had appeared together on a television special titled, “An Evening with Julie Andrews and Harry Belafonte.” In essence, they were old friends.

As I sat down, Julie and Harry were working on the opening for the show. They each had to open a make-believe door and rush out, but they couldn’t seem to do it fast enough for the director. Director Bill Davis, who we only heard through the PA system, told them to do it again. It seemed the scene was going to be shot in chromo-key, with a cartoon door (not sure about that), so Director Davis asked them to pantomime opening and closing the doors.

Watching these two great performers pantomiming their actions caught my attention. They were doing exactly what I had been studying in my acting class! ...

While Julie and Harry changed into their costumes, the stagehands laid out a design of foot lights on the stage floor, which gave the performers a path to dance on.  

While the crew was setting up, I moved over to a seat against the apron of the stage. Somehow I felt more secure there, as if I could blend into the structure and not be noticed. It also put me opposite center stage. The apron extended from the stage out into the audience about twelve rows. It was the place where, most of the time, the camera on the boom was located ...

An Evening with Julie Andrews and
Harry Belafonte in 1969.

.... The section of the number, when everyone danced in and out of the scene needed a bit more work...  For a time, Harry practiced with Julie’s choreographer, Tony Charmoli, while Julie sat on the side in her chair and took off one of her shoes.

Episode 8 – Guests Dan Dailey and Cass Elliot

The eighth episode of The Julie Andrews Hour was a nostalgic return to the era of musical comedy films with special guests Dan Dailey and Cass Elliot.

Dan Dailey in the early
days of his career.

Dan Dailey was a well-loved movie musical star who had appeared in such great hits as When Mother Wore Tights opposite Betty Grable, and There’s No Business Like Show Business in which he appeared with Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Johnny Raye and Marilyn Monroe.

Cass Elliot, of course, had been a member of the famed group, The Mamas and the Papas.  Formed in 1965, Cass Elliot eventually left the group after being repeatedly insulted by John Phillips. The Mamas and the Papas, as of 2012, have sold nearly 40 million record albums. In 1972, Cass was working solo and had recorded two record albums for RCA, both of which were released that year. Her three guest spots on Julie’s show likely helped to publicize her new albums.

Dailey and Elliot's appearance together was likely meant to attract a wider audience to the show; one that included older folks who loved nostalgia and the younger set who preferred rock and roll.

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The show began with uproarious applause as Julie Andrews introduced her guests. There was also a neat, two-story set onstage with twelve doors which the dancers opened and shut quickly, saying "Alright!" to everything that's about to take place. 

Julie and Dan then sat down for a brief talk about the old movies. Julie said she’d “have given anything to be in a musical” with Dan. From there, the pair hurried back to a new set where they reenacted a compendium of movie musical stories about a couple trying to get into show business in the old vaudeville days. Alice Ghostley and Cass Elliot joined Dan in a little Charleston, and Rich Little made an appearance as Groucho Marx. It’s a quick but interesting story which enables the cast to sing some great old songs. Julie tap dances and, in the end, she and Dan perform one of those old, sentimental, charming numbers, “You Were Meant for Me.” It’s the kind of song and dance that brings a smile to your face and makes you feel warm inside. On the night it was performed, the audience knew they were seeing something special and showed their appreciation by letting out a cheer. That says it all.

The opening vaudeville routine is contrasted beautifully by the next scene in which Julie Andrews sings a modern solo, “And I Love Him.” The song begins with Julie, dressed in a simple, white summer gown, standing half in shadow, half in light, as if she were standing in the moonlight.  

The 70s was a time of experimentation with the camera. Hollywood was looking for reality and extreme close-ups were often used. Bill Davis frequently directed the cameramen to come in close for Julie’s solos, sometimes focusing on her blue eyes. This kind of work brought an intimacy to audiences at home that had previously not existed. For part of this song, Julie is lit by a beautiful backlight, which, in the end, becomes a halo of light around her head. She sings this song beautifully, from her heart; the combination of her artistry and that of the lighting and camera work are quite stunning.

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“Roommates” was a made-up sketch created by the writers about Julie Andrews and Alice Ghostley living as roommates in New York City during the early part of their careers. From time to time, there were new episodes of this story. Alice Ghostley is hilarious as the roommate who sits at home alone and never gets a date, while her perfect roommate, Julie, receives hundreds of phone calls, Broadway roles and can make a dress, create moose meat dip, speak hundreds of languages and learn a role all in a matter of minutes.  

In this particular sketch, an almost unrecognizable Rich Little plays Julie’s Indian date, Razmir, speaking a strange language in a high-pitched voice. When Julie and Rich start speaking this language together as Alice looks on, it’s hilarious. All three performers have great comic sense and great timing, making these a scene you can watch over and over and still laugh. The comic abilities of all three are amazing.

As Rich and Julie go on their date together, leaving Alice all by herself, the camera turns to a Cass Elliot, who is sitting in a window seat, looking out a rainy window. Cass sings “Alone Again, Naturally” with an honestly and simplicity that is striking. Her song is met with huge applause and whistles.

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The “Look to the Stars” segment follows. Capricorn is the astrological sign of the day and tributes are paid to those who were born under the “sign of the goat.” Julie, Dan and Cass all take part in honoring Martin Luther King, Jr., Carl Sandburg, and Rudyard Kipling, among others. Rich Little plays Richard Nixon (also a Capricorn) and then, as Nixon, begins to sing “Minnie the Moocher” in tribute to Cab Calloway. It’s a very funny number. Cass Elliot takes over the song, dancing with The Tony Charmoli Dancers. Although Cass was quite overweight at the time, she’s a fine dancer and sings the old songs great. Cass Elliot, who lost the Broadway role of Miss Marlmelstein in I Can Get It for You Wholesale to Barbra Streisand, proves here that she could have been a great musical comedy performer.

Two ladies Dan Dailey mentions who were born under the sign of Capricorn are Ava Gardner and Marlene Dietrich. At the mention of Dietrich, Julie walks to a chair, puts one foot up on it and gives a fine portrayal of Dietrich singing “Falling in Love Again.”

Then, in one of the finest performances he ever gave on the show, Rich Little portrays Humphrey Bogart in a scene from “The Caine Mutiny Court Martial.” It is truly an amazing performance, proving that Little’s ability is not just one of impersonating a voice, but a talent to become that person on a very deep level. At the end of the scene, the camera turns to Julie and we see that she is truly moved by what Rich Little has achieved here.

It has been said that The Julie Andrews Hour was one that included so many great songs and routines it’s rather overwhelming. This show exemplifies that as the cast pays tribute to Jule Styne. Dan Dailey sings and dances “All I Need Now Is the Girl” from Gypsy and Julie Andrews performs a simple yet intricate “Bye, Bye Baby” from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with the eight Tony Charmoli Dancers. Once again, Charmoli has created a stylish and clever dance number, great for the television screen, and one which makes the show shine.

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In one of the darkest scenes of the entire series, Julie Andrews and Dan Dailey portray two vaudevillians who are about to perform their last show. At one time they had dreams of a great future onstage, and a lovely home and children. The reality is that they have failed. He is an alcoholic and she is bitter, making plans to leave him after the show is over. Both actors dig deep for this scene and the acting is excellent, with the actors putting their clown make-up on as the scene progresses.

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The final setup is a repeat of the set the previous week, when Julie and Diahann Carroll sang together, with Nelson Riddle’s orchestra on the stage. This time it’s Julie and Cass Elliot singing. Julie is wearing a beautiful one-shoulder coral print gown, looking dressed to appear on any concert stage. Cass is wearing a lovely deep blue gown. The singers announce that they will be performing a medley of Simon and Garfunkel songs.

Cass and Julie singing that
memorable Simon and Garfunkel duet.

Ordinarily when one thinks of Julie Andrews or of Cass Elliot, one does not think of the two singers together, or even that their style or voices might go well together, but Julie and Cass are great together and the difference between them only adds to the excitement of their performance.

Cass was used to singing “four-part male-female harmony.” Being accustomed to holding her own against three singers, she is a little bold in her manner of singing. She takes the low voice and is not intimated by Julie’s beauty or vocal ability. She knows her music and she wants to connect and take care of the other performer, in this case, Julie.

There is a point in the song where the two women are singing “Da-dee-dee-dee, Da-dee-dee-dee” as the entrance into “Mrs. Robinson.” At this point, the two ladies really let loose. They are having a great time singing together, and we have a great time watching them. The voices of The Dick Williams Singers join Julie and Cass with "Scarborough Fair," and the music here is rich with intricate harmonies. It’s a beautiful piece.

As mentioned in the past, there are songs on The Julie Andrews Hour which should be released on CD for the world to enjoy. This duet with Julie Andrews and Cass Elliott is one of those surprising, beautiful and perfect pieces of music that belong out in the world. It really seems a crime that it’s not. It belongs on a list of the top ten, if not one of the top five, for a Julie Andrews Duets CD. Is there anyone listening who can make this happen?!

As usual, the show concludes with Dan, Cass, Alice and Rich onstage as Julie  sings the closing notes of her theme song, “Time Is My Friend.” Episode 8 is a lovely, warm show. It’s like going home at Thanksgiving to a familiar place filled with love and laughter, and when it’s all over, you are so glad you were there.

Next: In–Between – PART 2 – A Reply

Costume Designer Jack Bear

The art of theater and performance is a collaborative art. Everyone depends on someone else to complete the work. There’s make-up and hair, costumes and sets, writers, musicans and arrangers. I had hoped to cover more information in this blog, but gathering information forty years after the fact sometimes takes a bit more time than one might think. Today I feel very fortunate to be writing about the man who created the very beautiful, sleek and unique costumes on The Julie Andrews Hour - Jack Bear. 

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Jack Bear, costume designer for The Julie Andrews Hour, was an Academy Award nominated designer. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Later, he would say no one could get his name right, declaring that “Bear” was a name of Danish-German origin.

When he was seven, his parents moved the family to Cleveland, Ohio, where, after graduating from high school, he attended Ohio State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Always interested in the art of painting, initially Bear planned to be an artist, but after graduation, he moved to California, and attended the Chouinard Art Institute where he majored in fashion design.

For a short time, Mr. Bear had a shop on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. He closed the shop, however, after being offered a staff costume design position at NBC. During his ten or more years at NBC, he worked on shows like Hallmark Hall of Fame and Matinee Theater, among others, designing for stars like opera singer Dorothy Kirsten and Eva and Zsa Zsa Gabor. Designer Ret Turner, who also worked at NBC during this time, recalls that Bear was “a lovely man and a hard worker."

After his time at NBC, Jack Bear moved to Paramount Pictures, where he worked under costume designer, Walt Hoffman. While working on The Great Race (1965), Jack Bear became acquainted with Blake Edwards. Two years later, Edwards would hire him to design costumes for his film, Gunn, an adaptation of his popular 1950s television series, Peter Gunn.

In 1966, Jack Bear designed costumes for the film, What Did You Do in the War Daddy? Following his work on Gunn, he also created costumes for the films, The Odd Couple and The Party in 1968.

In 1969, Blake Edwards hired Jack Bear to design costumes for Darling Lili. Designer Donald Brooks had already created Julie Andrews’ costumes, and a designer for the balance was needed. In total, Jack Bear designed over 400 costumes for Darling Lili, including those worn by Rock Hudson. Together, he and Donald Brooks received an Academy Award nomination for their costume design work on the film.

As a result of his work in film and television, Jack Bear enjoyed a fine reputation. He designed costumes for the Pasadena Playhouse’s production of Romeo and Juliet. He was also asked to design clothing for Lucille Ball for some of her television specials.

In his spare time, Mr. Bear bought homes, redesigned them and sold them. According to one studio biography of the period, he was also a member of the Board of Directors for the Costume Designer’s Guild from 1967-1968. 

In 1972, Jack Bear happily accepted the job of costume designer for The Julie Andrews Hour. His designs for the show were simple and elegant, with a look that was both modern for the time and classic. Mr. Bear often repeated aspects of the designs he had created which were flattering to Julie, recreating them in new fabrics, patterns and colors. Ret Turner recalls that Bear “liked soft colors—blues and greens.” Some of his loveliest designers for Julie were in various shades of blue.



Lovely blue gown designed
by Jack Bear



Working on The Julie Andrews Hour, Mr. Bear also designed the clothing worn by Rich Little, Alice Ghostley and the dancers. According to director Bill Davis, in addition, he gave approval (if he did not design) for clothing worn by the guest stars.

In the tradition of old Hollywood, Jack Bear's costumes were made to move beautifully for the dance numbers. The number of costumes and the amount of work going into them each week – as with everything else in the show—was phenomenal. The costume room backstage was kept busy with whirring sewing machines and steam pressers. Everything had to be perfect.

When Jack Bear passed away in 2007, he still held in his possession a number of the gowns he had designed for Miss Andrews, as well as fabric swatches from the show. Some of these costumes had been lent to Western Costumes to be rented out. In 2011, Julien’s Auctions sold a number of  gowns and other items from the show.

 For further information, please visit the link below. Catalogs for this auction may still be available.

http://www.julienslive.com/view-auctions/​catalog/id/36/

 http://www.julienslive.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/36/lot/11434/

Many thanks to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ librarian for her help in finding information on designer Jack Bear’s history. Should anyone have further information or corrections, please contact me.

Coming Next: - In Between - My time between shows and how I came to be on the closed sets. Interestingly, this blog begins with making costumes!

Episode 7 Guests Diahann Carroll and Phyllis Diller

It’s football season and Episode 7 begins with the Julie Andrews team of thirteen players. Rich Little, playing sportscaster Howard Cossell, makes an announcement, introducing No. 16, Diahann Carroll, No. 21, Julie Andrews and No. 31, Phyllis Diller. Phyllis doesn’t do much that isn’t funny. At the closing of the first scene, she ends up onstage alone, hanging from the ceiling in a harness.

This is a diverse show, and guest stars Diahann Carroll and Phyllis Diller were women who broke barriers, each in their own way.

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Diahann Carroll has always been known for her beauty and elegance. Her career took off during the Civil Rights movement. As a person of color, with great dignity and talent, Ms. Carroll broke stereotypes about her race.

  

She was born July 17, 1935 in the Bronx, New York and grew up in Harlem.  Although she intended to major in sociology, after winning the top prize on the television show, Chance of a Lifetime, her life took a new path. Why Was I Born? was her winning song, followed by four weeks of wins. As a result of her success in the television contests, she received engagements at Manhattan’s Café Society and The Latin Quarter.

Diahann Carroll made her film debut with Carmen Jones in 1954. Following the film, she won a Broadway role in House of Flowers, and in 1959, appeared in the film version of Porgy and Bess as Clara. Around this same time, she made a guest appearance on Blake Edwards’ television series, Peter Gunn. She was the first African-American women to win a Tony Award, when in 1962, she won best actress in a musical for her portrayal of Barbara Woodward in the Samuel A. Taylor and Richard Rodgers musical, No Strings.

Diahann Carroll was also the first African-American woman to have her own television series, Julia. The show was on the air in 1968. During this period, Ms. Carroll kept busy with appearances on all of the major talk shows, as well as an appearance on The Judy Garland Show. Today, Diahann Carroll performs in concert and on USA’s series, “White Collar.” 

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Phyllis Diller was born Phyllis Ada Driver in Lima, Ohio on July 17^th, 1917. During her early adult life, she was a wife, mother and advertising copyrighter. She also studied piano many years, but by the 1950s decided to pursue a career as a comedienne. In 1955, she appeared as a stand-up comic for the first time. Her appearance at The Purple Onion lasted 87 weeks!  From there, her fame and act grew. Bob Hope invited Phyllis to appear with him on a special. Over the years, she appeared in twenty-three Bob Hope specials, and co-starred with him in three films.

At a time when most women were trying to look beautiful, women related to Phyllis with her combination of glamour and reality. Sometimes she appeared wearing finery and jewels along with curlers or messy hair. When she spoke  irreverently of her husband, “Fang,” she sent audiences into gales of laughter. People could not get enough of her.

In 1969, Phyllis Diller appeared in the musical Hello Dolly!--a show which almost every major female star of the time appeared in.  It should also be noted that between 1971 and 1981, Diller appeared playing piano with over 100 symphony orchestras. Of course, her performances were punctuated with humor.

When I began working on this book/blog, I hoped I might be able to get a comment from Phyllis Diller about her appearance on The Julie Andrews Hour. After a long and fruitful career, she passed away on August 20, 2012. She gave the world a lot of wonderful laughs.

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After the opening sequence, all three ladies talk about men and dancing. They agree that the envy of everyone at the dances they attended when young was the girl singer. The scene shifts to memories of the Big Band era. Nelson Riddle’s band is onstage and Julie, Diahann and Phyllis appear, dressed in pale turquoise, ruffles of chiffon.

Diahann Carroll seems to take the lead with many solos during this segment and it’s not to be regretted. She sings “Sunday Kind of Love” with great beauty, and Peggy Lee’s “Why Don’t You Do Right” with just the right touch. Phyllis Diller gets her turn as a band singer, singing “Murder, He Says” and “A Tisket-a-Taket,” the former being her best number. Julie sings “Sentimental Journey” and “Willow Weep for Me.” In-between these solos, the three ladies make a trio and sing some of the best remembered hits, like Bei Mir Bist Due Schoen” and “Dream.” Then, with a bit of technology, the camera suddenly pulls back and we see the three ladies walk onto the stage in their street clothes, while behind them, we see the girls still performing in their gowns.

Since Phyllis Diller is not really a singer, we get the treat of seeing her perform with Rich Little. Although one thinks of Little as solely an impersonator, he is a fine actor, acting, of course, as whatever star he chooses to play. In one scene, he plays Cary Grant, opposite Phyllis as Bette Davis.  

The most enjoyable and lengthy scene between the pair --possibly the high point of the show—is one in which Rich Little plays Jack Benny and Phyllis  plays his long time girlfriend. They have met in a restaurant because they’ve decided to break up and now they are going to settle up. Benny, known for his stinginess, insists that Phyllis return every gift he ever gave her, even if it means removing her dress. Not to be outdone, Phyllis demands the same of him. Little and Diller are at the top of their game in this sketch and it’s a pleasure to watch them.

During this series of sketches, Julie Andrews performs a fine scene as Mata Hari, the famed spy, who has been caught and is about to be shot. Rich Little plays the officer who is in charge of her. Her cool demeanor and style in this scene are excellent.

Perhaps the one flaw of this show, besides the rather odd combination of personalities, is the fact that the creators attempt to pack so much into one show.

Follow Your Sign pays tribute to  persons born under the sign of Taurus. They include Liberace, Orson Welles, Henry Fonda, Shakespeare and Burt Bacharach, which gives the ladies a chance to sing some fine songs: “What the World Needs Now” and “This Girl’s In Love with You.” In a surprise ending, Phyllis, Julie and Diahann pay tribute to Barbra Streisand with a rendition of “Don’t Rain on My Parade.”

Along with the sketches of Rich Little and Phyllis Diller, another fine segment is the one where Julie Andrews and Diahann Carroll pay tribute to women songwriters. These include Dorothy Fields, Carolyn Lee, Betty Comden and Joni Mitchell.

Once again, all too soon, this show, which aired October 25^th, 1972, is over. At the conclusion of Episode 7, the television announcer lets us know that there will be complete Election Coverage next week. Yes, forty years ago was an election year as well!

Coming next: In-Between – What happened between my first visit to Stage E and being allowed to attend a closed set taping. That will be in two parts.

See you soon!

Episode 6 with Guest Star Steve Lawrence

Note: Recently it came to my attention that the air dates found on one site did not match the air dates listed in my diary. In the meantime I discovered a museum listing  which listed dates match my personal dates, so in the future, I wll be using these. Episode 4 on which Don Rickles was the guest was first shown on October 18th.




from the authors 1972 collection

 On Julie Andrews’ next show, Episode 6, she was joined by singer, Steve Lawrence, along with co-stars Alice Ghostley and Rich Little. Lawrence has a fine voice and a sense of humor that easily matches Julie’s, which makes the show a lot of fun. The show aired for the first time on October 11th, 1972.

Episode 5 opens with Julie and Steve singing the title song from the 1970 Broadway musical, Applause. Behind them is a varying backdrop of applauding people. At the end of the song, there are several shots of the audience from various angles, confirming that a good portion of the show was taped before a live audience. For those reading this complete series of blogs on The Julie Andrews Hour, if you are able to see this clip, it should give you a good idea of the space where the show was taped.

Following Applause, Julie Andrews and Steve Lawrence are joined by Alice Ghostley and Rich Little for a rousing verson of “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee An Actor’s Life for Me." The song, set in a costume room, gives the performers a chance to play other roles.   Julie Andrews and Steve Lawrence sing “Indian Love Call.” Wearing a feather in her hair, Indian beads around her neck, and a mini suede dress with moccasin boots, Julie looks quite mod. In fact, wearing this get-up she’d probably have fit in well with some of the hippies on the streets of Hollywood.

While the pair sing beautifully together, Steve Lawrence knows how to add that light touch of humor, making the songs slighty off-center and funny. In another musical number during this portion of the show, Julie is drinking from a big mug while she sings. She and Steve play it for laughs. Looking at the big hooped skirt she is wearing for this number, Steve says, “I think orchestra’s in there.” The audience finds this hilarious. Throughout the show we can see that Julie and Steve understand one another’s style and are comfortable working together.

As Ms. Andrews intimates during some of her later shows, while working on Broadway in the 1950s and 60s, she met many fellow performers. Quite a few of the people who appeared on The Julie Andrews Hour were persons she became friends with during that time.
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Steve Lawrence, born Sidney Liebowitz on July 8, 1935, grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Since his father was a cantor, he was exposed to music and singing from a very early age. In the 1950s, he was drafted into the army and became the official soloist for the United States Army Band. Steve Lawrence had numerous hit recordings during the 1950s and 60s, including “Go Away Little Girl,” “Pretty Blue Eyes” and “Footsteps.” One connection he had to producers Bill Harbach and Nick Vanoff was that he worked on the Steve Allen show before it became the Tonight Show. While working on the show, he met and sang with his future wife, Eydie Gorme. The pair became a singing duo and were married in 1957. 

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During the Hi-Didddle-Dee-Dee skit, Rich Little plays Clark Gable’s Rhett Butler to Alice Ghostley’s Scarlett O’Hara, and George Burns to Alice’s Gracie. Then, in one of the most charming routines, Rich and Julie impersonate Laurel and Hardy. With make-up and costume, as well as his great talent, Rich Little is transformed into Hardy and Julie is the soft-voiced, gentle Laurel. Her portrayal of Laurel is quite touching and a sharp contrast to all her other work. I



In addition to Laurel and Hardy, Rich and Julie also played
Groucho and Harpo.



Julie in the glamourous halter dress
From the Ruth and Vannie
Shaufelberger Collection.



For the “Follow Your Sign” segment of the show, honoring persons born under the astrological sign Libra, Steve Lawrence joins Julie, who is dressed a glamourous, black, halter gown. Lying on a sofa, Rich Little pays homage to Truman Capote. He plays Capote with great seriousness,  and has the audience laughing. To celebrate John Lennon, Julie and Steve sing two songs in counterpoint – Michelle and Here, There and Everywhere. It is quite lovely.

There’s a fine dance from No, No Nanette with Julie and her eight fellows, followed, at last, by a solo from Julie.  Standing beneath the crystal tree in a lovely gown, she sings, Falling in Love with Love. Recently, when speaking to a man who worked on the show he mused over what had happened to that tree. “It cost a fortune,” he said, “and it was hell to move.”



Julie under the crystal tree. This photo from the
Ruth and Vannie Shaufelberger collection was
taken off the television. It lacks the brilliance of the,
original, but gives you an idea of the scene.





The view of Julie Andrews singing in the darkness beneath this tree is stunning. Bill Davis has varied the shots between total darkness lit only by the tree and a green backlight. As shown in the “Julie” documentary, the creators and music directors of this show seemed intent on having Julie sing in a lower key, perhaps hoping she would sound more pop than concert or Broadway. Of course, with her five octave range, this was not a problem for her, though it her higher notes are the most brilliant. At times, the song does seem low, but in a stunning turn of events, the arrangement has her ascend to a higher  during the last portion of the song. What she does here is not easy and it is a stupendous ending to this beautiful song.

In the second half of Episode Five a duet of songs that did NOT win an Oscar is sung by Julie and Steve. There are some pretty popular songs here, including “Pennies from Heaven,” “The Trolley Song” and “Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe.” During the first part of this sequence, the presentation of some of these songs, which only consists of a phrase, seems a bit pedantic, but that changes with the final song. When Julie and Steve sing “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life,” it’s goose bump time. There are some songs on The Julie Andrew Hour series which should be put on a recording for the world to enjoy. This is one of them!



The last section of the show is devoted to a musical sketch which takes place in Europe during WWII. Rich Little plays an English actor (whose name escapes me), as a British officer who is dating Julie. Alice Ghostley is a barmaid who is really a German spy and Julie is that chipper, young singer whom everyone in the pub loves. Steve Lawrence plays an American pilot who is there to help win the war and is much loved by all the girls.

The skit is clever and funny, but the performances put by all four actors, as well as the dancers, who also play bit parts, is brilliant. Director Bill Davis and choreographer Tony Charmoli have arranged a lot of activity in the pub’s small set and it’s something you want to watch again to catch all the bits. At times, one forgets that one is watching a television skit and imagines that it could be a full blown film. Julie Andrews is beautiful and charming, and really throws caution to the wind, playing a role beyond being herself. It’s quite amazing. You can see the force of energy she must have put in her stage roles. She knows what it takes to put a character over on the footlights and make a performance great. Rich Little is so stuffed beneath his clothing and so into his role, that we forget he is Rich. It is the same with everyone. The direction on this skit, the songs, dances… everything makes it shine. You can hear how much the audience loves it when the cast sings “Roll Out the Barrel.” On a special note, I recently found out that  producer Nick Vanoff also appears in this sketch--as the accordion player!



From the author's 1972 collection



The show closes with sincere smiles of joy from Julie and Steve. In a move not repeated by anyone (that I know of), Steve Laurence asks Julie if he can join her in singing her closing theme song, “Time is My Friend.”

It was a lovely night.

Coming soon: More about the cast and crew AND A week in the life of The Julie Andrews Hour - what it took to put on a show!